Chiara Capobianco's 'Banco di vita' mural unveiled in Catania
After a year of preparation, Chiara Capobianco's monumental street art mural 'Banco di vita' was unveiled on December 6, 2023, at the Banca d'Italia branch in Catania's San Berillo district. The 700+ square meter work, painted with eco-friendly smog-eating paint and lit by solar power, features a pyramid-like composition evoking Mount Etna, with depictions of Saint Agatha, local trades, the elephant symbol 'U Liotru', and foods like oranges and arancini. The project involved 50 people and aimed at urban regeneration in a degraded area. Lina Scalisi, president of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Catania, served on the selection committee, while art historian Ornella Fazzina noted the mural's resemblance to a 16th-century altarpiece. The artist modified her initial sketch to include Saint Agatha instead of Saint Euplius, reflecting the city's devotion.
Key facts
- Mural titled 'Banco di vita' by Chiara Capobianco (born 1992, Rome)
- Unveiled December 6, 2023 at Banca d'Italia branch in Catania
- Located in San Berillo district, an area with existing street art
- Took one year of work; painting began in September 2023
- Over 700 square meters of surface
- Painted with eco-friendly 'smog-eating' paint
- Illuminated by solar-powered lighting
- Features pyramid structure evoking Mount Etna, Saint Agatha, 'U Liotru' elephant, trades, and local foods
- 50 people worked on the project
- Commissioned as part of Banca d'Italia's architectural and artistic heritage valorization initiatives
- Selection committee included Lina Scalisi, President of Accademia di Belle Arti di Catania
- Art historian Ornella Fazzina compared composition to 16th-century altarpiece
- Artist replaced Saint Euplius with Saint Agatha after recognizing city's devotion
Entities
Artists
- Chiara Capobianco
Institutions
- Banca d'Italia
- Accademia di Belle Arti di Catania
- Artribune
Locations
- Catania
- Italy
- San Berillo
- Rome
- Milan
- Etna